Two Democrats are leading the insurance commissioner race: former S.F. supervisor Jane Kim and state Sen. Ben Allen of Santa Monica. If both advance to November, it'll be the first time Republicans have been shut out of the race in state history: www.sfchronicle.com/california/a...

Two Democrats lead California insurance commissioner primary

Jane Kim, a progressive ex-San Francisco city supervisor, and state Sen. Ben Allen of Santa Monica take early lead in race for insurance commissioner over leading Republican Stacy Korsgaden.

sfchronicle.com

In the race for California's next insurance commissioner, San Francisco voters kept their votes local. Jane Kim and Patrick Wolff, both city residents, claimed the top two spots in S.F. ballots cast before Election Day. See updating results for all races here: www.sfchronicle.com/projects/202...

THURS APRIL 9, 1pm in downtown SF! Join us at a candidate forum for the Californians seeking the office of Insurance Commissioner. Our free event will be moderated by the formidable @meganmunce.bsky.social of the Chronicle. www.spur.org/events/2026-...

California Insurance Commissioner Candidate Forum

Join SPUR and Rhino for a candidate forum featuring candidates for California Insurance Commissioner, moderated by Megan Munce, a reporter with the San Francisco Chronicle. Hear directly from the cand...

spur.org

Late to this post! But honored that our investigation into the challenges wildfire survivors face when insurance won't cover the cost of rebuilding was recognized in both the climate and investigative categories for the 2025 Best in Business Awards: sabew.org/2026/03/2025...

2025 Best in Business Awards | SABEW

Congratulations to our 2025 honorees! The Best in Business Awards attracted 988 entries from 150 news organizations, ranging from international, national and regional news outlets to specialized busin...

sabew.org

A warm winter and little snowfall have resulted in one of California's lowest-ever snowpacks, raising concerns about water supplies and wildfires.

California’s snowpack notches grim milestone of second-lowest on record

A warm winter and little snowfall have resulted in one of California's lowest-ever snowpacks, raising concerns about water supplies and wildfires.

bit.ly

Five climate scientists, five quotes about this Mach heat wave: “It’s uncharted territory.” “There’s no analog.” "Typically, we don't consider summer weather to be normal in winter.” “Once (records) happen, they can happen again.” “There's a very clear-eyed picture of what we face this summer.”

How the historic U.S. heat wave is rattling climate scientists

Temperatures are being shattered by large margins over a vast area beyond California. “It’s uncharted territory,” said Baker Perry, Nevada’s state climatologist.

sfchronicle.com

Hydrologists described California's snowmelt the past three weeks as "unprecedented" and say the snowpack, already the lowest in more than a decade, will shrink further during a record-shattering heat wave next week. #CAwx

California’s ‘unprecedented’ snowmelt will only get worse from heat wave

Lake Tahoe went from blizzard to dirt in weeks amid rates of snowmelt that hydrologists described as historic. And now comes a record-shattering March heat wave.

sfchronicle.com

Flowers are springing up across California, including in Death Valley National Park and Mount Tamalpais State Park.

California wildflower map: locations of the best blooms now

Flowers are springing up across California, including in Death Valley National Park and Mount Tamalpais State Park.

bit.ly

Excited to be part of this conversation happening next month on how four of California's candidates for Insurance Commissioner will approach the FAIR Plan, wildfire mitigation discounts, housing development in the WUI and more. You can register for a spot here: www.spur.org/events/2026-...

Super proud that our investigative series into wildfire insurance was recognized as a semifinalist for the Goldsmith Prize for Investigative Reporting! TY @shorensteinctr.bsky.social :) goldsmithawards.org/announcing-t... @meganmunce.bsky.social @saradinatale.bsky.social

We've updated our map of California FAIR Plan premiums with the insurer's latest data. As of Sept. 2025, the cost of fire insurance for FAIR Plan homeowners ranged from just $92 a year to just under $32,000. Check your own ZIP code at @sfchronicle.com: www.sfchronicle.com/home-insuran...

California FAIR Plan insurance can range from $92 to $32,000. This map shows costs by ZIP code

One customer in San Jose pays just under $31,900 to be covered by the state’s insurer of last resort. Most Californians don’t pay quite so much, though the FAIR Plan is pricey.

sfchronicle.com

Gold (Regional/Local) goes to @sfchronicle.com for highlighting the systemic use of a flawed insurance estimator tool From the judges: “5 states announced an unprecedented probe into underinsurance following wildfires – a direct result of this stellar reporting” www.sfchronicle.com/projects/202...

apnews.com/article/muds... trap drivers, bury roads and damage homes in Southern California

Mudslides trap drivers, bury roads and damage homes in Southern California

Flooding and mudslides have buried roads, damaged homes and trapped drivers in several Southern California communities.

apnews.com

The requirement, which went into effect this summer, is meant to push homeowners to make their properties more fire-resistant.

California adds new disclosure rules for people selling homes in fire-prone areas

The requirement, which went into effect this summer, is meant to push homeowners to make their properties more fire-resistant.

bit.ly

In a pre-print study, air quality researchers found the carcinogen hexavalent chromium in the air near wildfire debris sites, possibly from fire suppressant. They're cautioning residents to use PPE until further testing confirms whether levels have gone down. www.sfchronicle.com/california/a...

‘Erin Brockovich’ made this cancer-causing compound famous. Now it’s been found in L.A. fire debris

Hexavalent chromium, a carcinogen made famous by the film “Erin Brockovich,” is being found in the air near L.A. wildfire debris sites, researchers say.

sfchronicle.com

For the first time ever, the California FAIR Plan is disclosing how much homeowners in every ZIP code pay to be insured by the state's insurer of last resort. @sfchronicle.com has it mapped here: www.sfchronicle.com/california/a...

Map: Here’s how much the California FAIR Plan costs in every ZIP code

New data shows just how much Californians in every ZIP code are paying to be insured by the FAIR Plan, the state’s insurer of last resort.

sfchronicle.com

Over a year after I published an investigation into employee concerns about animal welfare and worker safety at SF Zoo, the director has given notice. www.sfchronicle.com/sf/article/z...

San Francisco Zoo CEO resigns after months of controversy, and nudge from Lurie

Tanya Peterson, the San Francisco Zoo’s longtime CEO, has resigned following controversies that raised questions about her leadership. She faced pressure from Mayor Daniel Lurie and others.

sfchronicle.com

Beryllium has been used to craft nuclear weapons and shield astronauts from the heat of reentry. It's also known to cause cancer or chronic respiratory disease. This is the first time anyone's ever found it in a home after a wildfire. W/ @susien.bsky.social! www.sfchronicle.com/california-w...

Toxic metal found in L.A. air after fires. No one knows where it’s coming from

A little-known and highly dangerous earth metal used to craft spaceships has been found in wildfire-ravaged homes and in the air in Los Angeles. Experts are shocked — and alarmed.

sfchronicle.com

Ticks that cause a bizarre allergy to meat in people are advancing across a warming US, experts warn. Lone star ticks are aggressive, too. “They will hunt you, they are like a cross between a lentil and a velociraptor,” one alpha gal sufferer told me. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

‘Explosive increase’ of ticks that cause meat allergy in US due to climate crisis

Unusually aggressive lone star ticks, common in the south-east, are spreading to areas previously too cold for them

theguardian.com

As summer approaches and Napa Valley’s vineyards grow lush, the specter of wildfire looms. So the community, particularly its vintners, have taken matters into their own hands.

They can’t get fire insurance. So California wineries are seeking out fire trucks and military tech

As summer approaches and Napa Valley’s vineyards grow lush, the specter of wildfire looms. So the community, particularly its vintners, have taken matters into their own hands.

bit.ly

California’s Zone Zero regulations are expected to ban grass and wood fencing within 5 feet of homes. Here's what else is included and excluded in the rules.

California homeowners will need to change how they landscape their homes. Here's what will be allowed

California’s Zone Zero regulations are expected to ban grass and wood fencing within 5 feet of homes. Here's what else is included and excluded in the rules.

bit.ly

The CA Board of Equalization's two hour hearing into the role of algorithms in underinsuring wildfire victims, inspired by a Chronicle investigation, is about to kick off. Tune in: youtu.be/sApQ5mANgBU Public comment: www.boe.ca.gov/app/public-c...

May 28, 2025 BOE Board Meeting

YouTube video by BoardOfEqualization

youtu.be

Fought for months to get this footage of Palisades Fire. Exclusive for @sfchronicle.com www.sfchronicle.com/california-w...

Another entry in the breaking State Farm saga: A new filing submitted this afternoon reveals State Farm is pursuing its original 30% rate hike request at the full rate hearing slated for this fall. That would cumulatively be an 11% increase on top of the emergency 17% they were granted last week.

State Farm asks for another double-digit California home insurance rate hike

Under State Farm’s new request, its condo rates in California would soar, and homeowners rates would jump an additional 11%.

sfchronicle.com

Some of the most wildfire-prone parts of California will no longer have 24/7 eyes on them headed into traditional wildfire season because of NWS staffing shortages:

Anthony Edwards@edwardsanthonyb.bsky.social · last yr.

NEW: Two California weather service offices will no longer operate 24/7, curtailing the output of an agency that issues warnings for more than 7 million people in the Central Valley. #CAwx A spokesperson for NOAA confirmed to @sfchronicle.com that the offices were not operating around-the-clock.

Update: Commissioner Lara announced just now he's adopted the judge's decision. But he reiterates he expects State Farm to pay wildfire survivors fairly: "nothing is off the table.” A full and final rate hearing will happen sometime this fall.

Megan Fan Munce@meganmunce.bsky.social · last yr.

Breaking: Judge has approved State Farm's emergency rate hike request for 17% for homeowners, 15% for condos + renters, 38% for rental dwellings starting June 1. The final word goes to Commissioner Lara and is expected later today. www.sfchronicle.com/california/a...

Breaking: Judge has approved State Farm's emergency rate hike request for 17% for homeowners, 15% for condos + renters, 38% for rental dwellings starting June 1. The final word goes to Commissioner Lara and is expected later today. www.sfchronicle.com/california/a...

State Farm can hike California home insurance rates, judge rules

State Farm can raise home insurance rates in California by 17% next month, a judge ruled Tuesday, but the state insurance commissioner has the final word.

sfchronicle.com

It's been a month since the hearing into State Farm's emergency rate hike request wrapped up, but Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara says a judge still hasn't made a decision about whether to approve the request: www.sfchronicle.com/california-w...

Insurance commissioner: State Farm investigation ‘not off the table’ following L.A. wildfires

Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara said it was possible that officials would probe how State Farm handled claims from the L.A. wildfires.

sfchronicle.com

A critical U.S. database that tracks extreme weather damage no longer exists. "In alignment with evolving priorities, statutory mandates, and staffing changes, NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information will no longer be updating the Billion Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters product."

Deeply grateful for the recognition from the @pulitzerprizes.bsky.social for @jennifergollan.bsky.social's and my investigation into deadly, reckless police pursuits. And especially grateful to the families who shared their stories w/ us.